Letter received by Banks from Philip Gidley King, 9-10 May 1803(Series 39.078) - No. 0025

[Page 25]

I have wrote in the most pressing terms to Lord Hobart, respecting the Vaccine Matter being sent out by a person qualified to renew it during a passage, perhaps the Surgeon of one of the Kings Ships may be deemed a proper person; then would it be unadvisable to send some out in the different way, by a Whaler, as their general short [?] passages could greatly ensure its coming with sufficient virtue to produce the desired effect - For the latter advantage I have desired my Friend Enderby to inform Mr [Sullich?] & yourself, when one of his, or any other Whaler is getting ready for this quarter, & to say when she is on the point of Sailing, which can be exactly ascertained in peaceable ?]  times - There are now upward of 1200 Children not one of whom have ever had this disease, & there is much reason to expect that it may one day or other, be imported by some Ship in the Natural way - The ravages it would make are easily conceived, And if report says true, the Vaccine Matter would remove all these apprehensions, & curtail distress - which in the course of time would go near to depopulate the Colony - To your judgement & kind offices I respectfully submit the rest -

 I believe I have not yet said that at length we  possess about 40 [?] very thriving  Hop Plants raised from a great quantity that of Seed that was brought here by an [indecipherable] about 4 Months past; they grew exceeding Luxurient  Still I think some years

[in margin]
Hops 4 months [?] May 1803